THE HOUSE OF GOD Part 2

CHURCH DEVELOPMENT

The History of the One True Church [Ekklesia/ Assembly] of [that belongs to] God [Yehovah]

According to the Holy Scriptures

By: Bishop Marthy C. Austria, H.U.G. of Christ Fellowship PURE GRACE

The Old Testament People [House] of God

    I.            Where are the Scattered Tribes of Israel today?

A.             Israelites were never really “lost” in history, but were “lost sheep”. Therefore, because his word is true and faithful, Israelites, the people of God were not really lost. They have just forgotten their heritage and identity.

Jeremiah 50:6 “My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.”

Jeremiah 3:8 “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce”;

And she was declared by God as “Lo-Ammi”. Not God’s people.

Hosea 1:9 “Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.”

The scattered Israelites continued to exist but not under the name Israelites – because they were divorced by God as his people. “NO MORE GOD’S PEOPLE”

B.              Israel then became Gentiles: Hosea 8:8 “Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.” It means that the Israelites would live in foreign lands and adapt to the languages, cultures, and customs of these lands.

C.              According to prophecies the Israelites would grow in number as a strong people which cannot be numbered, a nation in the nations.

1.      Israel would be royal nations. Genesis 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

2.      Israel would be thousands of millions. Genesis 24:60 “And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions…”

3.      Israel would possess the gate of those that hate them [Gentile nations]. Genesis 24:60 “And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her … and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.”

4.      Israel would be a nation and a company of nations. Genesis 35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

5.      Israel would be a multitude of people in the midst of the earth.

Genesis 48:4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

Genesis 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

6.      Israel [represented by Ephraim – “doubly fruitful”] would become a great multitude of nations. Genesis 48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

7.      Israel would multiply as the sand of the sea that cannot be measured or numbered. Hosea 1: 9-10 “Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered”

8.      Israel would be called the sons of the living God. Hosea 1: 9-10 “Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people,…and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.”

a.       Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God. Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

b.      People who received him were called sons/children of God.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Romans 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Galatians 3:7, 26, 29 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham…For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. .. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

c.       The Sons of God were the saints who called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. i.e. the Church of God

2 Corinthians 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

1 Corinthians 1:1-2 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

d.      They were the Christians [in New Testament times]. 

Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

e.       The Israelites were called under the name “Christians” or “Messianics”, “believers in the Messiah Jesus, or “the anointed [chosen] ones”. Jesus [Iesous] is the Greek name of the Hebrew Yeshua which means “Yehovah saves”. Christ [Christos] is the Greek of Hebrew Mashiach which means “Anointed One” or “Chosen One”. That’s why Jesus Christ [Yeshua HaMashiach] is Jehovah the Saviour, the Anointed One – King, Prophet and Priest. Christians or Messianics are believers and followers of Jesus Christ, their God, Saviour, King, Prophet and Priest. And because they are in Christ, they are also anointed [chosen]. (2 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 2:20,27).  They are “the little anointed ones of God”. The Saviour-God was named Jesus when he became flesh because “he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Who are his people? No other than Israel. (Exodus 19:5-6; 1 Peter 2:9). The Church of God is the people of God (Titus 2:14). There is only one people of God. The Church was Israel, called the Israel of God.

f.       Israelites, the literal and natural children of Israel were never lost. They were exiled to the nations. They didn’t stop existing. They just didn’t have a communication with the House of Judah.  These Israelites have changed their names. They have continued to exist but no more as “God’s covenant people”. 

9.      Israel would be called by a new name that the Lord would name her.

Isaiah 62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. That name is the name “Christian” or “little anointed ones” or “followers  of the Messiah/Christ.

10.  Israel would be people among the nations, with identity as “Gentiles”.

Hosea 8:8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

Micah 5: 7-8  And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

11.  Israel would be a great multitude, which no man could number – people who follow the Lamb [Jesus Christ].

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.

12.  Israel would be people who magnify the name of the Lord among the Gentiles.

Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

13.  Israel would be a nation among nations.

a.       Israelites would no more return to Palestine, but would dwell in a place of their own and move no more. It means whatever nation they are dwelling in, that  nation would be THE PLACE OF THEIR OWN.

2 Samuel 7: 10 “Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime.”

b.      They needed no more to return to Jerusalem for Israel’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus declared in John 4:21-24 “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

c.       And the true Jerusalem is not the city of Jerusalem in Palestine but the heavenly Jerusalem:

Galatians 4:25 -26 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

14.  Israel would speak the languages of the world.

a.       The seed of the Israelites today are people who speak in different languages – of the nations, of the east and the west, of the north and of the south.

Isaiah 43:3-7

3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from THE EAST, and gather thee from THE WEST;

6 I will say to THE NORTH, Give up; and to THE SOUTH, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.

b.      They speak English – the language of today. Zephaniah 3:9 “For then will I turn to the people A PURE LANGUAGE, that they may all CALL upon the name of the LORD, to SERVE him with ONE consent.”

§  English is the language that Israelites will use in calling upon the name of the LORD [Jehovah] and in serving him with one consent. It means they will use ONE BIBLE – the completed Bible written in English, i.e. The King James Version [KJV].

§  The 39 Old Testament Scriptures (called Tanakh) were written in Hebrew. The 27 New Testament Scriptures were written in Greek. Now the whole completed Bible of 66 books of the OT and NT are written and compiled in English. That is English of the KJV. Biblical English. (Although not all use the KJV, they use English Bibles and translations patterned after it).

§  Through this pure language of God’s purified words (Psalm 12:6) God’s people will call upon the name of the LORD. What is the name of the LORD in the King James Version? His name is JEHOVAH [Yehovah] – YHVH and not Yahweh or Yahuwah - YHWH. Jehovah is “the Eternal, the Ever-living One who will be, is and always was.”

Exodus 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Psalms 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

D.             Now tell me, what are the nations or peoples that have such descriptions today?  They are the great Christian nations. “…they must be those ten Gothic tribes that entered Europe in the fifth century B.C. and founded the ten nations of Modern Europe.” (National Message Magazine, 6/1957, p.188-189).

E.              These Israelites became the Christians during the Acts period. There are people today who claim that they are Israelites called the “Zionists” and “Jews” of the modern State of Israel who are in bondage to the Old Covenant and the false hope of the Millennium – Literal/Natural Thousand-year Kingdom on earth.  Most Jews in Israel today are not really Israelites. Only some of them are real Jews, i.e. from the House of Judah. Even during the New Testament times, there were people claiming they were “JEWS” but were not really Jews.

Revelation 2: 9; 3:9 “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan…Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.”

F.               God said that the seed of Israel would never cease from being a nation, if the ordinances of the sun, moon and stars depart not.

“Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 31:35-37) 

Consider this:  Matthew 24:29-30

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

 And also Matthew 24:34-35

34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

What are the heaven and earth that would pass away?  Literal heaven and earth? No. Are the sun, moon and stars part of that heaven? Yes! Literal sun, moon and stars that would pass away? No!

When would those heaven and earth (which include the sun, moon and stars) pass away? After the tribulation of those days at the coming of the Son of man in heaven.  Fulfilled already? Yes.

Psalm 89:36-37 His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

The earth, the sun, moon and stars abide forever (Genesis 8:22; Psalm 104:5; Psalm 119:90; Ecclesiastes 1:4). The sun measures the days, the moon the months and the stars the years. It means there will always be days, months and years. And if they are established forever, it means the seed of Israel shall endure forever. They are the literal sun, moon and stars that abide forever. And they testify that the seed of Israel will endure forever.

But what are those sun, moon and stars spoken by Jeremiah and Matthew that would lead to the cessation of Israel as a nation? They are not literal natural sun, moon and stars. Genesis 37:9-10 talk about the sun, moon and stars as “Israel”. Secondly, the sun, moon and the stars are above the earth – they are places of position and government. The sun rules the day and the moon rules the night (Genesis 1:16). The literal sun and moon and stars symbolize the government or the ruling body of Israel in those days. They gave ordinances. They were the principalities and powers in those days. Jesus’ coming – from his incarnation, to the cross and to the parousia, he judged these rulers.

Colossians 2:14-15  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Israel is not a natural nation as we know today, the modern State of Israel, but Israel is a people, a nation among the nations. Yes, the true Israelites today are from the bloodline of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Besides the Jews [of the House of Judah], true Israelites [of the House of Israel] are among the nations of the world. Biblical and Historical documents prove that they are the Germanic, Teutonic, Celtic, Gothic people. They continue to exist. These Israelites became the nations of France, Spain, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, British Commonwealth and the United States of America. These are nations where the true faith “Christianity” propagated. Although not all of them are “Christians” in the Biblical sense. The Bible versions especially the King James Version are products of these Israelite nations. Their role is to bless the world and to serve them.

There will always be a seed of an Israelite, as there will always be a seed of a Filipino, of a Chinese, of an African, and others. These people of today who are descendants of ancient Israelites may boast of their heritage. They are descendants of the people of the covenant. The Hebrew word for covenant is B’rith. British means covenant man. Britain means covenant land. Britannia means covenant ships. Britam  means covenant people.

But today, God’s emphasis is the spiritual rebirth and the circumcision of the heart by faith in the Messiah Jesus of the Israelites. Israelites today are no more covenant people. They are Gentiles.

Those ordinances spoken by Jeremiah depart from the Lord and so the seed of Israel as a nation ceased at 70 AD. That generation literally ceased.

Therefore the seed of Israel ceased or stopped from being a nation. I don’t mean to say that there are no present-day seed of Israelites today. There are descendants of the 12 tribes. But according to what we learn today, they are no more “Covenant people” of God but the same with everybody else in the world today, they are equal and the same as “THE GENTILES”. The seed of Israel did not cease, but they ceased from being “A NATION” of God.

If there are literal Israelites today, they have the blood of Abraham in their blood-line but they are “GENTILES IN THE FLESH” and not “THE CHOSEN PEOPLE” of God.